SHIVA project implements AO retinal imaging for fighting brain diseases

The SHIVA research project aims at preventing cognitive impairment and dementia. It tackles one of their leading causes: covert cerebral small vessel disease.

Led by the University of Bordeaux, this 5-year project gathers 9 academic and industrial partners. SHIVA has been awarded with 8,2 million euro in funding by the French National Research Agency*.

One of the approaches currently investigated in SHIVA uses the eye as a window to the brain. To do so, two investigation centers have implemented Imagine Eyes’ rtx1 adaptive optics retinal cameras. Their goal is to assess microscopic alterations in retinal blood vessels, which reflect early damage to cerebral vessels. Neurologists expect a 500-fold improvement in image resolution with this technology in comparison with MRI.

For further detail about SHIVA, visit the project’s website rhu-shiva.com

To learn more about microvascular retinal imaging with the rtx1, click here.

*This work is supported by a grant overseen by the French National Research Agency (ANR) as part of the “investissements d’avenir” program ANR-18-RHUS-0002